The hope of the lost: Eragon & Wit'ch fire
by Aatukateri
Summary: When My best friend Elaine and I leap into a dust devil, our lives are changed forever
1. Collision of Worlds

Note to readers:

This fan fiction is just for fun, and I am writing it out of what little spare time I have. Also keep in mind that this is my first FanFic, so it may not be all that great. I do not own the Inheritance Cycle, or the Banned and the Banished. All credit for those characters go to their respective authors.

Chapter One: The Collision of Worlds

I recall that day very well. There were clouds rolling across the sky, whispering promises of a desert storm. The strong Santa-Ana wind tugged and teased my chestnut colored hair. Not very many people would want to live in the pile of dirt I call home. A few yards away from me is my best friend Elaine. She was a few inches shorter than I, but she was much stronger in so many ways.

Now the two of us stood side by side, watching as a dust devil began to form. The sand lashed out like a whip as it joined the cyclone. "Hey Ashley…" said Elaine with a sly grin, "I dare you to run into the eye of the dust devil."

I laughed and playfully punched her in the arm. "Only if you go with me!" Elaine's grin widened. "Deal." She said. We stared into each other's eyes for a short second before making it official with our secret handshake. I looked back to the dust devil, noting how much it had grown in size in just a few short seconds.

We clasped our hands together, anticipation and fear growing in my gut. "On three." I shouted as another strong gust made my hair go wild.

"One…"  
Elaine and I got into a running position.

"Two…"  
I squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"THREE!" We both broke into a sprint, with the wind pushing us along. Those few seconds seemed to go by in slow motion as we neared the vortex of swirling sand. The wall of wind and sand hit me like a train, and stung my eyes like a thousand bees. Suddenly I felt my legs give out from under me, and my hand was torn from Elaine's. Everything went dark, and our lives were about to change forever.

I finally awoke several hours later, my head throbbing with pain. "Ugh…" I murmured as I pushed my self up. I looked about my surroundings. Elaine was nowhere to be seen. I was still in the desert… but in a much different area. There were creosote bushes as far as the eye could see!

"Oh good, you're awake." said a voice from behind. I turned to see a young girl, maybe about fourteen. Her skin was paler than I have ever seen before, and her red hair hung to just below her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes were beautiful, but there was a sorrow deep within them that nobody would be able to understand.

"You bitch!" shouted a very familiar voice. I turned my head to see Elaine marching toward me with her face as red as a tomato. I was trying very hard to keep myself from laughing at her expression. The second I was in range, Elaine slapped me across the face. My cheek burned for a moment before a moment before it turned to a dull ache.

"What the hell was that for!?" I shouted as I rubbed my cheek.

"I had to drag you half way across the fucking desert when it was fucking pouring! You're so lucky that I've calmed down enough not to throttle you, because if I wasn't, your head would be on the other side of the desert!" Her eyes were burning a hole into my forehead… but I still couldn't help but laugh. Elaine shook her head.

"You are so demented… only you would laugh at my threats." After a moment I stopped laughing, and a very uncomfortable silence hung in the air. The strange girl shifted uncomfortably; this was when I first saw her hand.

Her right hand was a shade of crimson, from her wrist all the way down to her fingertips. It also seemed to faintly glow in the sunset. Or maybe it was sunrise; I wasn't sure how long I've been out…

Suddenly the sound of falling footsteps pulled me out of my contemplation.

"Its about time you woke up."

I turn to see a man –I'm not sure how old he was- coming u behind the girl with the red hand. He was pretty tall with hair darker than my own and…one arm?

I realized that I was staring and quickly looked away. Questions began to swim around in my mind like fish in a river. _What is up with the girl's hand? And what happened to that guy's arm?_ My eyes darted back and forth from Elaine and the two strangers before me. In all honesty, I was very afraid. I didn't know where the heck I was, or who these people were!

"You're not one for words, are you?" Asked the man as he sat cross-legged on the sand. I was about to reply when Elaine interrupted.

"Actually, she's quite the motor-mouth once you get her started."

I glared at her for a short second before turning back to the stranger.

"I just really don't know what to say for this…situation "

"You can start by saying your name, stupid." Retorted Elaine.

I sighed and smacked the back of Elaine's head.

"I'm Ashley, and that smart-arse right there is Elaine." Elaine shot a glare at me, with a look that said that she had something to say, but was resisting for now.

"I'm Er'ril."

"Elena."

I nodded, letting myself memorize their names. Suddenly it occurred to me that I still had no clue as to where the heck we were. As if on cue, Elaine spoke up.

"Dose anybody have any clue to where the frick we are?" There was another awkward silence, and then Er'ril sighed.

"We were hoping you could tell us."

Great. I'm lost in the dessert with my Smart-ass best friend, a strange girl with a red hand, and an even weirder man with one arm. Things couldn't get any worse right? God I do grow tired of being wrong...


	2. Reflections

**Note to Readers:**

First off, thank you for reading my FanFiction, It means a lot to me that you take time out of your day to read my stories. Secondly, please take note that this chapter is in Murtagh's point of view. I would really love it if some of you would be so kind as to review the story, and tell me what your opinions are on the plot. Once again, I thank you for reading my work.

Chapter Two: Reflections

Karma is a bitch. No matter how hard I try, I can't shake the sound of her voice from my mind. I can still see her face as I close my eyes. The way her eyes burned like a fire hotter than Thorn's, and how her mouth twisted with anger, sorrow… betrayal. If only I could have seen it coming. I could have saved my soul from this hell, I could have saved my heart from this torture. I could have saved her… but it is much too late. She's gone, and I am left to wallow in my misery. I should have listened to her friend's warning.

_The betrayer shall be betrayed._  
If I had only known what she meant.

Now as I lay here, trying to clear my mind of her memory, a much different image has protruded my thoughts. Her eyes were so beautiful in the moonlight, that the stars didn't stand a chance. Her shadow flickered back and forth with the fire, and the way the fire's light made her skin glow was breath taking. She looked at me, and her smile… there isn't enough words to describe it.

Like I said, karma is a bitch.


End file.
